Rail brace



Oct. 22, 1929. J G, MUELLER. I 1,732,766

RAIL BRACE Filed Aug. 2; 1928 Y C70 HN UELLER,

ill

Patented Oct. 22, 1929 PATENT OFFICE JOHN G. MUELLER, F DAYTON, OHIORAIL BRAGE Application filed August 2, 1928.

This invention relates to a new and improved form of rail braces andclamps there for, adapted to be attached to railway tracks.

It is the object oi. this invention toprovide rail clamps andcooperating rail braces,

which are adaptedtobe attached to the lower flanges of the railsand toengage the rails in such a way as to prevent spreading and turning oftherrails.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device of thisclass, in which the parts are few and simple, and easily applied andremovedtromengagement with the rails.

It is a further object of this invention to l5 providerail clamps andbraces therewith to securely hold therails in place and prevent anytilting of the rails, due to pressure 011 a curve, or. otherwise.

It is a turther object of this invention to 2 provide a rail braceandclamp in which the headof the ,rail is braced against turning,

thereby preventing the base flange of the rail from eating into the tieand causing it to weara-way and to generally deteriorate. By

535 means otholdingthe rail in upright position the flifeof the :tie ispreserved, and it is more i or less prevented from rotting, due to thefact that the rail is not permitted to eat into it at the edge of thebase-flange.

In the accompanying drawings is shown one preferred embodiment of thisinvention, which is used merely by way of illustration; it is notintended =1tOSl1O\V more than thepreferr ed form.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross section of a railroad track with theclamping deviceapplied to the lower flanges ot' the rails, and the bracing meansengaging under the head of the rails. 1

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section showing one rail with the clampingand bracing means attached thereto.

Numeral 1 is used to designatethe rails to be found in conventionalrailroad tracks.

The numeral 2 represents the tie-rod, which has on each end thereof athreaded section, indicatedbythe numeral 3,adapted to receive the clamsing and bracing devices hereinafter described The clamping devicesused. on. the inside Serial No. 297,046.

and the outside lower flange of each rail are similar as far as theclamping features are concerned, and the description of one will applyto the other. The clamping member for each rail is composed essentiallyof two parts, one to engage the outer lower tiangeand the other toengage the innerlower flange of the rail oi a railroad track. Each partis similarly constructed and similarly operated.

The numeral. 4 representsa clamping sleeve, which has extendingtherefrom to engage the upper surface of the lower flange of a rail, ahook member 5. Passing through the sleeve member a is a hole oropening,indicated by the numeral 6, through which the tie-rod passes.

Just beneath the hook member 5, a clamping sleeve is provided with aninclined surface that has a web member, indicatedby the nun eral 7, andprovides a triangular shaped space between the sleeve member and thelower part of the base of the rail. In this triangular space there is awedging sleeve, indicated by the numeral 8, which 'has therethrough anopening 10 in alignment with the opening 6 in the clamping sleeve.

The upper surface of the wedging sleeve is fiat and adapted to engagewith the under surtace of the rail, with the exception of lip member 9projecting up from the wedging sleeve and adapted to engage the outersurface of the lower flange of each rail. The opening 6 through theclamping sleeve is oval in shape to permit both a longitudinal andvertical movement of the sleeve in regard to the tie-rod 2.

On the wedging sleeve 8 there is a groove 11 coacting and fitting overthe wedging member so that the clamping sleeve has a sliding movement inregard to the wedging sleeve.

The foregoing description applies to the clamping means for either sideof the rail, and as far as this clamping means is concerned, each clampis identical in structure.- But the outside clamping member hasextending from the sleeve 4 a downwardly sloping member, indicated bythe numeral 12, which has an inclined surface, indicated by the numeral13, with a rib, indicated by pin the numeral 14, therein for a. purposehereinafter described. The outside clamping member has also formedthereon a tongue, indicated by the numeral 15, and located on theafore-described part 5.

On the outer end and fitting over the tierod 2 there is a brace member16 having a vertical part through which there is an el0ngated opening,indicated by the numeral 17, adapted to permit the brace member to havean up and down movement with regard to the tierod. On the lower part ofthe brace member there is an inclined surface with a groove therein,indicated by the numeral 18, adapted to receive the rib 14 and permitthe movement of the brace member along the inclined surface 13.

Extending from the'brace member, in an angular direction therefrom, isan arm 19 adapted to engage under the head of the rail. In the surfaceof this arm, adjacent the rail, there is provided a groove, indicated bythe numeral 20, in which the afore-described tongue 15. works.

For the purpose of clamping the parts in gripping relation with the railand for the purpose of bringing the brace member .lnto cooperativerelation with the clamping members and 1n engagement with the head ofthe rail, there are provided nuts 21 adapted to engage the screw threads3 on the tie-rod to force the clamping members into engage- -ment withthe base of the rail and the brace member in engagement with the head ofthe rail. The brace member 16, as shown clearly by Figure 2, may beplaced in different posit-ions upon the clamping members and by bringingthe nut 21 into engagement with the outer surface of the brace member,1t is forced into contact with the clamping memhers, and by furthermovement of the nut the brace member will ride up the inclined surfaces,indicated by the numeral 13 and by the member 15, the tongue 15 beinginclined at an angle similar to that of the face 13.

It will appear from this description, and

the relation of the parts, that the movement of the nut against thebrace member tends to force the brace member along the dlrection of thetie-rod, and at the same time,

.upin the direction of the head of the rail.

Any movement of the nut which engages the brace member, tends to forcethe coactmg clamping members 1nto secure engagement with the base of therail and to bring the arm 19 into secure bracing relation With the headof the rail.

A similar movement of the other nut member 21, engaging the 1ns1degripping memhere will force the arm part 5 into firm en- 7 gagement withthe upper part of the lower inside flange of the rail, while the wedmg'sleeve is brought into firm contact with the lower part of the sameflange of the rail.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe drawings, that there has been provided a device that will firmly andsecurely grip the rails to hold them in their proper positions, and atthe same time, brace the rails against spreading tendencies due to thearm 19 engaging under the head of the rail.

I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may beclearly embraced within my claims and the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a railway rail brace in combination with a tie rod, :1. wedgingsleeve on said tie.

rod adapted to engage the bottom and edge of the base of a rail andremain stationary with regard to the rail after such engagement, and aclamping sleeve having an elongated hole therein to receive the tie rodfor up and down movement thereon, and adapted in cooperation with thewedging sleeve to grip and hold flanges of different sizes, and a b acemember having an elongated hole associated with said sleeves and the tierod to engage the head of the rail, said brace being adapted forlongitudinal and vertical movement on said tie rod.

2. In a railway rail brace, the combination with a tie rod, of two hookmembers on said rod adapted to hear each on the outer portion of therail base, and a single brace member at one end only of the rod adaptedto bear against one hook member and against the head of the rail, andmeans on the rod to draw the several parts together to cause a clampingaction.

3. In a railway rail brace, the combination with a tie rod, of threehook members on the rod, one to clamp the outer portion only of one railand the other two to clamp both portions of the base of the adjacentrail, and a single brace member at one end only of the rod and adaptedto bear against one hook member and the head of the rail, and means onthe rod to draw the several parts together to effect a clamping action.

4. In a railway brace, the combination with a tie rod, of two hookmembers mounted thereon, one bearing on the outer portion only of onerail base and the other on the outer portion only of the other railbase, and two brace members on the rod and each bearing against itsadjacent hook member and against the head of the rail, and means on therod to draw the several parts together to cause a clamping action.

5. In a railway rail brace, the combination with a tie rod, of two hookmembers thereon to clamp the base of one rail, two other hook members onthe rod to clamp the base of the other rail, and a single brace memberon the rod at one end, bearing against the adjacent hook member and therail head, and means on the rod to draw the several parts into clampingaction.

(3. In a railway rail brace, the combination With a tie rod, of two hookmembers thereon to clamp the base of one rail, tWo other hook members onthe rod to clamp the base of the other rail, and a single brace memberon the rod at each end thereof, each brace member bearing against theadjacent hook member and the outer side of a rail head and mounted onthe rod for lateral movement relatively to the rod, and means on the rodto draw the several parts into clamping action.

In testimony whereof, I atfix my signature.

JOHN G. MUELLER.

